The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug worldwide. Although its use is associated with multiple adverse health effects, including the risk of developing addiction, recreational and medical cannabis use is being increasing legalized. In addition, use of synthetic cannabinoid drugs is gaining...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00249/full |
| _version_ | 1818908898647605248 |
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| author | Dicky Struik Fabrizio Sanna Liana Fattore |
| author_facet | Dicky Struik Fabrizio Sanna Liana Fattore |
| author_sort | Dicky Struik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug worldwide. Although its use is associated with multiple adverse health effects, including the risk of developing addiction, recreational and medical cannabis use is being increasing legalized. In addition, use of synthetic cannabinoid drugs is gaining considerable popularity and is associated with mass poisonings and occasional deaths. Delineating factors involved in cannabis use and addiction therefore becomes increasingly important. Similarly to other drugs of abuse, the prevalence of cannabis use and addiction differs remarkably between males and females, suggesting that sex plays a role in regulating cannabinoid sensitivity. Although it remains unclear how sex may affect the initiation and maintenance of cannabis use in humans, animal studies strongly suggest that endogenous sex hormones modulate cannabinoid sensitivity. In addition, synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroids alter substance use and further support the importance of sex steroids in controlling drug sensitivity. The recent discovery that pregnenolone, the precursor of all steroid hormones, controls cannabinoid receptor activation corroborates the link between steroid hormones and the endocannabinoid system. This article reviews the literature regarding the influence of endogenous and synthetic steroid hormones on the endocannabinoid system and cannabinoid action. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:18:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd357fa95b4842cbafa488cf3e36a7a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5153 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:18:20Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd357fa95b4842cbafa488cf3e36a7a32022-12-21T20:03:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532018-10-011210.3389/fnbeh.2018.00249410103The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid SensitivityDicky Struik0Fabrizio Sanna1Liana Fattore2Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari – Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari – Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Monserrato, ItalyCNR Institute of Neuroscience-Cagliari, National Research Council, Rome, ItalyCannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug worldwide. Although its use is associated with multiple adverse health effects, including the risk of developing addiction, recreational and medical cannabis use is being increasing legalized. In addition, use of synthetic cannabinoid drugs is gaining considerable popularity and is associated with mass poisonings and occasional deaths. Delineating factors involved in cannabis use and addiction therefore becomes increasingly important. Similarly to other drugs of abuse, the prevalence of cannabis use and addiction differs remarkably between males and females, suggesting that sex plays a role in regulating cannabinoid sensitivity. Although it remains unclear how sex may affect the initiation and maintenance of cannabis use in humans, animal studies strongly suggest that endogenous sex hormones modulate cannabinoid sensitivity. In addition, synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroids alter substance use and further support the importance of sex steroids in controlling drug sensitivity. The recent discovery that pregnenolone, the precursor of all steroid hormones, controls cannabinoid receptor activation corroborates the link between steroid hormones and the endocannabinoid system. This article reviews the literature regarding the influence of endogenous and synthetic steroid hormones on the endocannabinoid system and cannabinoid action.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00249/fullgonadal hormonesanabolic-androgenic steroidscannabinoidsdependencesexdopamine |
| spellingShingle | Dicky Struik Fabrizio Sanna Liana Fattore The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience gonadal hormones anabolic-androgenic steroids cannabinoids dependence sex dopamine |
| title | The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity |
| title_full | The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity |
| title_fullStr | The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity |
| title_short | The Modulating Role of Sex and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Hormones in Cannabinoid Sensitivity |
| title_sort | modulating role of sex and anabolic androgenic steroid hormones in cannabinoid sensitivity |
| topic | gonadal hormones anabolic-androgenic steroids cannabinoids dependence sex dopamine |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00249/full |
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